Machine for assembling nail knobs



March 31, 1925- J. G. LoY

MACHINE FOR ASSEMBLING NAIL KNOBS Filed June 14, 19,24

Patented Mar. 31, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE JOHN G. LOY, 0F CAREY, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE FEDERAL PO'RCELATN COMPANY,

OF CAREY, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

MACHINE FOR ASSEMBLING NAIL KNOBS.

Application filed June 14, 1924. Serial No. 720,081.

To all whom it may conccm:

Be it known that I, JOHN G. Loy, a citizen of the United States, residing at Carey, in the county of \Vyandot and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines for Assem bling Nail Knobs, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to improvements in machines for use in, and to a method for, assembling together parts of a composite article, more particularly forassembling together parts of nail knobs, and is kindred to the invention set forth in my copending application filed August 6th, 1923, serial No. 656,108.

The general object I have in view in respect to the machine branch of my invention, is that of providing a series of traveling lags or holders, which will appropriately move past the operatives as the nail knob parts are being placed in position, and which when that has been done will impart to the lags or holders a sudden movement which will cause one of the parts of such nail knob to settle into final position.

The further object of the machine branch of my invention is to provide a hammer for driving the nails proper with a compound movement-a blow movement and a travelling movement in unison with the travelling movement of the lags or holders in which the parts have been assembled, so that as the lugs with their load travel, the hammer will eorrespondingly travel. while effecting the blow on the nail. head, so that the blow may be struck without stopping nails for that purpose.

These two objects are carried into effect by the machine illustrated in the accompany ing drawings with the result that the assembling is accurately and expeditiously done and the final positioning of the nail within the parts is also quickly done with the general result of accuracy and expedition. i

The general object of the method branch of my invention, consists, essentially, of a series of steps-a travelling step, an assembling step, a jarring step, a hammer or blow step, and a discharging step of the complete article.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure l is a general side elevation of an apparatus embodying the machine branch of my invention which constitutes one apmachine showing the relation of the several parts.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 1 designates two shafts mounted in any suitable frame (not shown) and each equipped wlth a pair of sprocket wheels 2 spaced somewhat apart as indicated in Figure 4. On these sprocket wheels are mounted a pair of chains designated 3 and 4 which travel in unison one with the other by reason of being carried by sprocket wheels which are mounted on the same shaft. At intervals there are secured to these chains a series of lags or holders 5. These holders may be formed each of one piece or otherwise as may be most convenient in practice. It will be observed from Figures 2 and 3 that in their upper part they are deeply recessed to constitute chambers 6, while their lower portion is formed with inclined walls 7 which lead to a shouldered seat 8. A central orilice 9 extends through the bottom of the lag from the seat 8 down.

lit will be noted that there are a series of stations designated A, B, C and D. An operative stands opposite each station and performs the following work in the manner here stated:

Standing at station A, the operator places in'the lags or holders 5 the washer 10. This is quickly done and the washer, striking the inclined wall '2', drops down into the seat 8. Sometimes, however, the washer may not properly settle in the seat or may slide into it in inclined position and leave one side resting on the lower part of the inclined wall. To cause the washer to firmly and quickly settle in its final position in the seat, I provide an.instrumentality which has for its purpose that of giving the leg or holder certain jar or motion to cause the washer to quickly settle in place. This instrumentality, in the form shown, comprises a block 11 having; its upper surface inclined so that the endless chain will travel up the incline and when the link or part of the chain carrying a lag; leaves the incline, and thus is itself relieved of its'then tension, it will drop quickly over the high end of the block. This causes a sudden jerk or jarring which effectively settles the washer in the seat. This block is suitably supported as on a guide rail'12wliich in'the machine is positioned conveniently under the upperstretch of the chains. This rail acts as a support to these stretches of the chains so that they will not unduly sag. and constitutes an anvil at 12 to support the lag or holder when the nail. is being driven home, as will hereinafter be described It. being new understood that the washer has been inserted and seated in the lag or holder at station A the operator opposite station 13 will insert in the lag or holder the member 13 oftlie knob and cause it to be seated in the recess (3.

Then when this lag or holder reaches station C, the operator at that point will place on the part 13 of the knob the upper or cap portion 14 thereof. As will be seen from Figures 2 and 3, the portion 13 besides having the recesses 15 for insertion of line wires when the device is in use, has also a projection 16; and that the portion 14 of the knob has a recess 17 adapted to slip over the projection and thereby to guide the portion 14; into its proper place on the" portion 13. This facilitates the quick position"- ing of the part 14 on the part 13 of the knob. Incidentally I may add that the part 13 is recessed at 13 to economize in the material used in making it. It will also be noted from Figure 3 that the meeting faces of the parts 13 and 1 1 are serrated so that they are interlocked in a sense which aids in preventing either partfrom shifting laterally with respect to the other. The pro jection 1G and the recess 17 also cooperate to this end.

.Vhen the lag now under treatment has reached station D, the operator there inserts the nail 18, shown in Figure 2 on a larger scale. It will be noted that the point of the nail now rests in the hole in the washer 10'. it is inserted until so arrested. In Figure 3 the insertion has been made.

T his completes the operation involved in the assembling of these several parts and comprises the steps in my method up to this point.

The nail carries a leather washer 19 which when the nail is later driven home or into Final position intervenes the part 1 1 and the head of the nail and being yieldab'le prevents any breakage or injury that might result from the head of the nail coming violently down upon the part 14 which is usually made of porcelain as also is the case of the part 13.

It will now be understood that all of the manual operations, as by the operatives positioned at stations A, B, C, and D, have been completed-and that the remaining operations of the apparatus and step in the method will be that of driving the nail through the washer and to home position in the knob parts.

This is done by means of a peculiarly organized hammer, a hammer with composite motions,- a vertical striking motion and a horizontal travelling motion of speed equal to that of the chains so as to cause the hammer to move in unison with the nail at the time the blow is struck. This prevents the hammer from tending to check the motion of the nail or to bend it or drive it un'tiuly. This hammer apparatus comprises guides 20 secured to such frame as may be used for the moving parts and of a slide 21 adapted to reciprocate in these guides. Mounted on the slide is a housing 22 for guiding ahammer 23 which is in the nature of a straight bar of any desired cross section. The slideis reciprocated in such wise that its forward motion, or that to the right in Figure 1, takes place in unison with the forward travel of the lags or holders and their combined devices so that when the hammer comes down and strikes a blow it also is moving in unison with the travel of the nail. To give the slide this motion 1 provide, ')referably, a cam device consisting of a slot 2 1 in the slide 21 and of a pin 26 projecting from the sprocket wheel 27 into the slot so that when the sprocket is revolved it will carry the slide horizontally back and forth. A sprocket chain 27 passes from the sprocket over a similar sprocket; 28' having" two faces, one for the chain 27' and another for the chain 29, which latter chain passes over the sprocket wheel 30 mounted on the nearby shaft 1 so as to rotate the sprockets 2 at that end of the machine.

A drive shaft 31 suitably mounted on the lnttCll llle frame carries the sprocket 28 and a belt pulley which may be bolted to a source of power.

A connecting rod 33 is attached to the hammer and moui'ited at the other end on a pin 3 1, carried by the pulley 32 by which means the hammer is given the motions necessary to apply the blows.

Looking at Fig'rre 1 it will be seen that the hammer is in its extreme elevated position ready to start downward to deliver a stroke for driving the nail to home position in the assembled knob directly beneath it and the slide is in its corresponding position at the extreme limit of its backward Ill:

movement ready to travel forward at the same rate of speed the assembled knob is travelling. The assembly just ahead of this one has passed this point and is shown with the nail driven home until the washer 19 is in firm contact with the member 14 of the knob and the point of the nail has passed on through the washer 10. As these assemblies move over the right hand sprocket wheels 2 they become inverted and drop out of the lag or holder into a receptacle 35.

These operations and steps are continuous. The travel. of the chains is without intermission and the labor of the operatives keeps time with the travel of the lags or holders and the han'nuer also keeps time with the movement oi? the nails and by the means shown is made ready to successfully strike blows upon the on-con'iing nails as they reach the proper point, and while these things are taking place the assembled nail and knob parts are discharged as a unit and caught in the receptacle.

The apparatus above set forth constitutes a mechanical means for carrying into prac tiee my improved method, but not the only means, as it is obvious that this method may be practiced by some other mechanism. The steps of my method, enumerated in sequence, are as follows Positioning a washer in a continuously travelling receiving instrumentality, being the first step; jarring strumentality to effect the final seating of the washer, being the second step; positioning a knob member in such travelling instrumentality, being the third step; positioning another knob member on the now travelling first knob member, being the fourth step; inserting a nail through the now travelling knob members and washer, being the fifth step; striking a blow on thenow travelling nail and knob members, being the sixth step; and in causing the complete assemblage to discharge from the receiving instrumentality.

It will now be understood that my invention eomprehends a complete apparatus which when properly manipulated by the required operatives will readily, accurately, and rapidly cause the nail knob parts to be assembled and the nail itself to be ultimately positioned in its final place within the knob members, with the nail head and washer on one face of the knob structure and the washer on the nail at a point opposite the other face of the knob structure to prevent the latter from slipping oft the nail, or the nail from pulling out.

It will further be understood that my method steps when put into practice result .in the described system of assemblage and a consequent completion of the article quite independently of the particular apparatus here shown and described.

such washer and in- Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters "Patent, is

1. In an apparatus of'the character described, the combination with a continuously travelling carrier and a series of lags or holders thereon, and means to jar the holders at intervals, such lags or holders being adapted to receive nail knob parts, to carry and support them and later to discharge them, of a hammer, and means to operate it for driving the nail proper into home position in the knob parts.

2. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with a continuously travelling carrier and a series of lags or holders thereon, and means to jar the holders at intervals, such lags or holders being adapted to receive nail knob parts, to carry and support them and later to discharge them, of a hammer and means to impart thereto a travelling motion in unison with the movement of the lags or holders and other means to impart a striking motion to it.

3. In an appartus of the character described, the combination' with an endless chain and means to give it continuous travelling motion, a series of lags or holders mounted thereon, and means to jar the lags or holders at intervals, said lags or holders being adapted to receive, carry and discharge nail knob parts, of a hammer adapted to drive the passing nails to home position, and means to impart to the hammer travelling and striking movements.

4. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with sprocket wheels, endless chains mounted thereon, a series of lags or holders secured to said chains and an inclined surface adapted to impart a jar to them, such lags or holders being adapted to receive, support and discharge nail knob parts, of a hannner to drive the nails to home position, means to drive the sprocket wheels and other means to impart striking and travelling movements to the hammer.

5. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with sprocket Wheels, means to rotate them, endless chains carried by the sprocket wheels, a series of lags or holders secured to the chain, and an inclined surface adapted to lift them successively and allow them to drop with a jar, such lags or holders being adapted to receive a washer to be seated by said jar and also to receive a knob member, and to carry and discharge the nail knob, of an anvil at one side or the path of the lags or holders and a hammer at the other side above the anvil, means to reciprocate the hammer to cause it to travel with the nails consecutively, and other means to impart striking blows to the hammer.

6. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with sprocket wheels, means to rotate them, endless chains carried. thereby, lags or holders mounted on said chains, an inclined plane adapted to raise and allow the lags or holders to drop with a jar, and an anvil, of a slide, means to reciprocate it, and a hammer mounted on said slide and adapted to reciprocate therewith, and other means adapted to impart striking blows to the hammer.

7. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with a continuously operatingtra\"eller having lags or holders adapted to receive, carry and discharge nail knob parts, of a slide adapted to reciprocate, a hammer mounted on said slide and adapted to reciprocate therewith, and means to impart a striking movement to said hammer.

8. In an apparatus of the character described, a slide having a slot, a sproeiget wheel, a pin on the sprocket Wheel adapted to travel in said slot, a hammer mounted on the slide, a link connected therewith, and a pulley lnwing a wrist pin to which the link is connected.

In testimony signature.

whereof I atlix my JOHN G. LOY. 

